Utility pole identification system

Abstract

A utility pole identification system in which alphanumeric symbols and a replaceable bar code insert are incorporated into a tag which is affixed to a pole, with the symbols and bar code used to display information concerning the pole and / or utility equipment supported thereon. The information thus encoded in the tag can be read by utility inspection / maintenance personnel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Utility poles are generally identified by a tag or marker attached to the pole. Such tags / markers typically contain a series of alphanumeric symbols that encode information concerning the pole itself and / or the utility apparatus supported thereon. The information thus encoded in the tag / marker is designed to be read by utility personnel involved with the inspection, maintenance and repair of the pole and its associated apparatus. Such encoded information may, for example, identify the pole and its ownership, indicate its installation date, disclose the voltage of supported power line or transformers, and / or specify its most recent inspection / maintenance date. [0002] Since the information concerning a given utility pole installation may change over time, identification tags / markers are generally designed to allow the series of alphanumeric symbols encoding such information to be modified. The standard utility pole tag configuration consists of an ob...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The present invention constitutes a reliable, economical and versatile system for encoding information on a tag / marker mountable on a utility pole. This system has the advantage of employing the standard utility pole tag configuration while greatly expanding the maximum information content encodable on the tag through the use of a bar code insert. Since the bar code insert is replaceable, this system retains the flexibility of the standard configuration insofar as it allows the encoded information to be readily modified without replacing the entire tag.

Problems solved by technology

The standard utility pole tag configuration described above is quite limited as to the amount of information it can contain.

While there are existing products on the market that provide bar code labels for utility poles, such products lack the versatility of the standard tag configuration with respect to modifying the encoded data.

As mentioned earlier, however, these integral bar code designs lack the advantage of the bar code insert with respect to modifying the data on the tag / marker without replacing the tag / marker itself.

Images